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Environment
Water Pollution Yangtze River The Yangtze is the 3rd largest river in the world, and the 1st largest in China. It starts at the Tibetian Plateau and flows nearly 4,000 miles until it empties into the East China Sea. The Yangtze is an important river to China. It provides hydroelectricity, irrigation water, and transportation. People also rely on this water for drinking. Causes of Pollution Chemical waste in the river is commonplace. Billions of tons of waste of all kinds are dumped in the water every year, making it toxic. Nitrogen from fertilizers and arsenic is the leading cause. Effects This pollution results in every village, city, and town along its banks being put in great risk. Species of plants and animals are dying daily due to the water's toxicity. Nitrates resulting from run-off cause algae in the water to multiply excessively, contaminating the numerous fish species. When these fish are eaten, health issues occur. Several millions of people do not have a safe water supply due to this pollution. Solution? The Chinese government is building more water treatment plants along the Yangtze to attempt to make the water safer. They are also encouraging people to use sanitary landfills, rather than putting trash in the river. Ganges River The Ganges River (often nicknamed the Mother Ganges or Ganga) begins in the Himalayan Mountains and flows through India and Bangladesh for 1,500+ miles, into the Bay of Bengal. It is the most important river in India. The Ganges' water is used for drinking, bathing, cooking, and transportation by over 400 million people. It runs through the most fertile part of India, as well. This river is considered sacred to the Hindu religion. Causes of Pollution 2,000,000~ tons of waste is dumped into the Ganges river daily. Millions of gallons of sewage are poured into the river by cities. This sewage ends up going into villages farther south. The river is also being polluted by people. Hindus believe that the dead will have a peaceful journey to their next life if their ashes are scattered into the Ganges. Since a lot of families are too poor to afford a proper cremation, they just dump the bodies in the river. Effects The Ganges is full of dangerous bacteria. It is estimated that 80% of all illness in India comes from this bacteria, resulting in a third of the deaths. Outbreaks of water-borne diseases such as cholera, dysentery, typhoid, and hepatitis are very common. This has gotten to the point where cities along the Ganges have the highest rate of water-borne disease from drinking water of anywhere in India. Solution? India's government is trying to clean the river through the Ganges Action Plan. This has resulted in several sewage and water treatment plants built along its banks. However, this has proved to not be enough. India's growing population and industrial and farm pollution continue to pollute the river. Flooding China Causes Monsoons benefit farmers, but hurt about everyone else. Loggers have cut down many of the trees used to contain floods. Farmers downstream have drained the wetlands that basically acted as sponges. These actions have increased the effects and chances of floods. Effects Monsoons create catastrophic floods every 2-3 years. When the river floods, homes and crops are buried under the raging water, and people are killed. Flooding from the Yellow River has killed more people than any other river. India Causes Monsoons are a double-edged sword for India. On one hand, farmers need the rain for floods, and the rushing water from them provides a lot of hydroelectricity. Effects On the other hand, monsoons also create disasterous floods. When monsoons come down too hard, the rivers overflow their banks and water rushes through the land. This results in airports closing, power lines falling, humans and animals drowning, and water-borne illnesses spread. Air Pollution China Causes China cities have experienced huge growth in population and industry in the past few decades. Much of China’s energy is provided by coal, which produces soot, ash, and chemicals into the air. People also burn coal to heat their homes. Millions of people also drive automobiles, which creates major pollution from exhaust. Effects The leading causes of death in China are heart and respiratory conditions from the terrible air quality. Air pollution has also created acid rain in China, a problem for at least a third of country’s agricultural areas. Unfortunately, air pollution created in Chinese cities is not confined in the country; winds carry the bad air and rain to Korea, Japan, and other parts of Asia as well. Solution? Before the 2008 Olympics, China’s government formed the Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau to work on the quality of the city's air. Automobile traffic was cut and many factories were temporarily closed. Many people enjoyed the cleaner air and wanted the government to find a long-term method of cleaning it up. India Causes India's massive air pollution problem is a result of automobile emissions and industrial development. Automobiles cause about 70% of the pollution of some urban areas. Indoor air pollution is also significant factor. In rural areas, a lot of families cook over open fires, using wood, livestock dung, or coal, or any combination of these as fuel; these fuel sources release carbon monoxide, soot, and other dangerous chemicals into the air. Effects India's rising population results in more people being exposed to pollution every year. Indians that live in cities have one of the highest rates of respiratory disease, to the point where the air is the 5th leading cause of death. The air is so bad, some scientists think that the smog in India could affect weather patterns in''' '''North America. The Taj Mahal, a sacred site and popular tourist destination, is growing yellow from high levels of air pollution.